Girl Online (39 page)

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As Elliot bursts into a round of applause, I hit publish. It feels so strange but so amazing to be making my blog posts live again.

I refresh the page a few times to watch the comments come in. One of the first ones is from Pegasus Girl.

*HIGH-FIVE AND ALL THE HUGS AND EXCITED DANCES* xxx

And that's when I know that
Girl Online
is officially back.

Chapter Fifty-Seven

Before I know it, it's time to take Elliot to the bandstand. I have butterflies in my stomach and I'm so excited for Elliot to see Alex, but I'm nervous for Alex as well. Sure enough, I look down and notice that Alex has texted me.

I quickly text back.

I almost immediately get a reply from what I can only imagine is the most nervous and fidgety Alex ever.

I pop my phone back into my bag before Elliot can ask who I'm texting, then go to stand up.

“C'mon, Elliot. I have a surprise for you.” I grab him by the hand as he looks at me in horror.

“Oh god, no, Penny. I'm not playing that stupid game in the park again where you made me pretend to forage for nuts like a squirrel. That was a one-off.”

He takes his hand out of mine and glares at me as I laugh out loud. The vivid memory of Elliot scrambling around under an oak tree with his hands up by his mouth and chattering his teeth is just hilarious.

“No, silly. Follow me.”

I drag Elliot up from the table and refuse to answer any of his questions, much to his frustration.

We walk down towards the sea, our arms linked. It's quiet, and the crash of the waves and the squawk of the seagulls fill our ears as we stroll along the promenade. It's such a beautiful evening and already delicate strands of pink and purple are staining the sky. It's going to be a stunning sunset, and I'm so glad that it's all working out exactly to plan for Alex.

Elliot leans his head on my shoulder as we walk. “I used to
do this with Alex in the evening. Just stroll along, listening to the sea. It was the only time he wasn't worried about us being seen together. It was our favourite thing to do. It felt all secret and romantic.”

We pause for a moment and lean on the railings. Elliot picks at a bit of white paint that is crumbling off and stares out at the sea with sad eyes. I've never seen him look so upset, and a tear rolls down his cheek. “Do you think I've messed it all up, Penny? Do you think I'll never get to see him . . . or kiss him . . . or touch him ever again?”

I give his arm a squeeze. “Don't worry, Els. Everything will work out in the end.”

“But how do you know?”

“I just have a feeling about these things,” I say. “Come on, you can't show up to your surprise looking all puffy-eyed.” I pass him a tissue, then pull him into a giant hug.

“Thanks, Penny.” He wipes his eyes and sniffs dramatically. “OK, onwards! Where is this surprise of yours?”

“Just a little bit further,” I say.

“You're being so mysterious, Princess P! I like it. Hey, what's going on at the bandstand?”

I look up, and my jaw drops: the bandstand looks incredible. Alex has clearly been hard at work, decking it out with fairy lights on the outside.

“I don't know,” I say, feigning ignorance. “Maybe someone is having a wedding?”

“Wow, I've never seen it look like that before. You should take a picture!”

I oblige, taking out my camera and snapping away. The sun is going down, and the warm light is making the
beautiful cast-iron structure and its copper roof glow. It looks amazing—especially with the ruins of the old West Pier in the background.

“Did you know that the bandstand opened in 1884?” Elliot says.

“I had no idea it was that old!” I exclaim.

“Yep, but it was restored a few years ago to its original condition. I think it would be the most romantic place to get married, don't you?”

“Why don't we go take a closer look?”

“Ooh, can we?” Elliot's face lights up. “It won't make us late for this surprise?”

I grin. “I don't think so,” I say.

When we get closer to the bandstand, I can see that Alex has decorated all along the gangway that we need to cross to reach the bandstand itself, where a heavy velvet curtain is draped over the entrance. I assume Alex is hiding behind it.

There's a sign hanging on the front that says:
CLOSED FOR A PRIVATE PARTY
.

“Oh, that's a shame,” says Elliot.

I nudge him in the ribs. “Maybe look a little closer?”

Right underneath the sign is the picture I took of Alex and Elliot at The Sketch's concert, blown up for everyone to see.

“What . . . what is this?” Elliot says, backing up a few paces.

His face is white as a sheet, and he looks on edge—like he is about to bolt. And suddenly I worry that everything is about to go terribly wrong.

Chapter Fifty-Eight

“Is this a joke?” Elliot asks.

I shake my head. “I think you need to go in.” I smile at him and point to a chalkboard sign that reads:
ELLIOT, FOLLOW ME
.

He swallows, searching my face for any sign that this is fake, then takes a slow step forward. I hang back, letting him experience it for himself, but he reaches out and grabs my hand, pulling me along with him. There is a beautiful spiral path made from rose petals set out on the floor of the narrow gangway. Around the path and hanging from the railings are lots of Alexiot memories: photos of Elliot that I've never seen before, ticket stubs from the movies and gigs they've been to together, even the label from the first scarf that Elliot bought Alex as a present.

Elliot delicately treads the path, reading little notes and laughing at photos that Alex had secretly taken of him. There is one where Elliot must have fallen asleep in Alex's car, his mouth wide open. Alex has taken a selfie with Elliot behind him, giving a thumbs-up. Elliot smiles and chuckles at all the
memories, and already I can see new tears in his eyes—but they're tears of happiness this time, not sadness.

It seems to take forever but we finally reach the velvet curtain covering the entrance to the bandstand itself. I stand up on my tiptoes and kiss Elliot on the cheek, then I nudge him to go through. He lets go of my hand, takes a deep breath, and steps beneath the curtain.

Standing at the back of the bandstand, silhouetted by the setting sun, is Alex—looking extremely dapper in a smart suit. There are lanterns and tea lights hanging from the ornate iron curlicues decorating the edge of the roof, and the ceiling itself is filled with white fairy lights. Paper pom-poms and bunting stretch between the pillars. It really is like something from a movie. This is definitely the most romantic thing I've ever witnessed and I'm not even the slightest bit bitter that it isn't for me. It's taking all that I have not to dissolve into a puddle of happy tears.

Elliot steps forward until he is face-to-face with Alex. Alex takes up both his hands and looks at him with big, wide eyes.

“Elliot Wentworth. I can never take back the hurt I caused you, but I want to do everything I can to try to make us right again.”

Elliot looks at Alex's lips and then back up to his eyes, and I feel electricity spark between them. I'm grateful that this structure is iron, not wood—the chemistry between them is so intense it feels like it could set the bandstand on fire.

“I'm speechless, Alex. Nobody has ever done
anything
like this for me before.” Elliot looks as though he might burst into tears or self-combust into a cloud of confetti with sheer happiness.

“Will you dance with me?” Alex extends his arm and Elliot places his hand in Alex's.

I hear the first few guitar chords of “Elements” start to play, but I'm confused. I haven't seen Alex hit a play button, and I can't see where the music is coming from. Then I hear footsteps coming down the gangway and my heart leaps into my throat. The curtain twitches, and Noah steps through.

His hair is scraped back off his face, but it is still slightly curly. His ripped jeans have been replaced with suit trousers and he is wearing a tight white shirt with the sleeves rolled up, emphasizing his muscular body underneath. All this and—of course—he has his beautiful guitar, on which he is playing “Elements.” My stomach flips as he shoots a little sideways smile at me.

He starts singing Alexiot's song, his husky, soft voice layering beautifully over the chords on his guitar. Elliot and Alex dance together as the sun disappears beneath the horizon. The lights look even twinklier now it's dark, and I watch with tears in my eyes. This really is something from a dream—I can only imagine how Elliot must be feeling right now.

Noah is here.

I can't quite believe it.

After Noah has finished singing, Alex, Elliot, and I clap furiously. But then Elliot steps away from Alex, just far enough that I worry he's going to say that he's still not going to take him back. I can't bear to watch if Elliot is not going to forgive Alex.

“Alex, this is amazing . . . but I still don't know if I can be with you. Not if it's like before.”

“It's not going to be like before, Elliot. I promise.”

“How can I know?”

“Come with me,” Alex says. “There's one more
element
to this surprise.”

“There's more? Holy jeepers, Alex—this is too much.”

“No, Elliot,” Alex says. “It's hopefully just enough.”

He leads Elliot over to the edge of the bandstand. Then he raises his voice and says loudly, “Ready? Three . . . two . . . one!”

Chapter Fifty-Nine